Klein Collins again favorite among Klein ISD teams

Klein Collins head coach Drew Svoboda gathers the team for a post-practice discussion Monday, May 9, 2016 at Klein Collins High School. Svoboda says this team is one of the most cohesive teams he has ever coached. less

Klein Collins head coach Drew Svoboda gathers the team for a post-practice discussion Monday, May 9, 2016 at Klein Collins High School. Svoboda says this team is one of the most cohesive teams he has ever ... more

Photo: Tony Gaines

Photo: Tony Gaines

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Klein Collins head coach Drew Svoboda gathers the team for a post-practice discussion Monday, May 9, 2016 at Klein Collins High School. Svoboda says this team is one of the most cohesive teams he has ever coached. less

Klein Collins head coach Drew Svoboda gathers the team for a post-practice discussion Monday, May 9, 2016 at Klein Collins High School. Svoboda says this team is one of the most cohesive teams he has ever ... more

Photo: Tony Gaines

Klein Collins again favorite among Klein ISD teams

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Klein ISD Football Preview

Overview

Klein ISD enjoyed many of the same benefits from the 2016 UIL Realignment as former district-rival Spring ISD, pairing up with the Spring Woods schools. Both Spring (Westfield) and Klein (Klein Collins) had a team earn a perfect district record, though Klein ISD has to contend with the Stratford Spartans, who have accumulated a 36-13 record over the last four years.

Stratford kept the Klein ISD teams from a perfect 4-of-4 playoff finish (like Spring ISD enjoyed in 16-6A), with a 7-3 record (5-2 in district) pushing Klein Forest to fifth place. Memorial, Spring Woods and Northbrook all finished with a combined record of 5-25 last year, and don't project to be much more dangerous this year, either.

If Klein ISD doesn't send at least three of four teams to the playoffs again, it will be a disappointing year.

All told, Klein Collins had 14 players on last season's All-District 1st- and 2nd-Teams that will not be returning (though returning Defensive MVP LB Donavan Mutin is likely in for a big season, and 1st-Team WR Jaylon Johnson will be back for his senior year, as well).

No matter.

The difference between good programs and great programs is how they fare when they face this kind of turnover. A good team in Klein Collins' place would be happy to compete for a playoff spot, aim for a postseason victory and call it a success.

Not the Tigers. Klein Collins led eventual state-champion DeSoto by 10 heading into the fourth quarter, when the Eagles outscored the Tigers 21-0. They remember. And the culture and expectations surrounding Klein Collins are such that they expect to compete deep in the playoffs again, but first, they expect to rack up yet another district title.

The Klein Collins freshman A and JV squads combined for a perfect 20-0 record last season, and many of those athletes (like sophomore defensive lineman A.J. Townsend, whom head coach Drew Svoboda has been lauding, and Carter Rhyne, the early favorite to replace Powers at quarterback) will be stepping up to play for the varsity squad. The Tigers are back-to-back district champions, and coming off the best year in program history, are looking to push, not tread water.

The 15-6A district title is a little more wide open than it was last year, but betting against Klein Collins to reel off a third straight would be foolish.

At the helm

Klein Oak and Klein Forest both are both under new management, with NFL veteran and Mike Tomlin protégé, Jason Glenn, taking over direction of the Panthers and Notre Dame strong safety Ajani Sanders (a 1999 All-Independent Team selection). The two coaches could not be stepping into different situations, though, with the Panthers earning a 24-13 record over the last three seasons, along with four playoff victories, and the Eagles managing just a 5-25 record over the same span with no trips to the playoffs.

Last season's 3-7 was still a radical improvement for Klein Forest from the two, straight 1-9 seasons before Sanders took over. Klein Forest has the athletes. What the Eagles need – focus, culture, direction, maturity – Sanders is in a great position to provide them. Graduating quarterback Kenneth Morris stings, but whichever Eagle earns the starting job will have a trio of returning All-District 2nd-Team weapons in fullback Dejion Blalock, wide receiver Jordan Whitaker and tight end Jesus Gonzalez.

Figure another step forward for the Eagles this year, but with Klein Collins a strong favorite for the top slot, and Stratford, Klein and Klein Oak all vying in some order for the opportunity to unseat the Tigers or slide into the second-place spot behind them, even another major step forward would likely not be enough to secure a postseason berth.

Time to Shine

Klein, under longtime head coach Shane Hallmark, has a chance to make some noise this year. With the turnover at Klein Collins, new coaches finding their footing at Klein Oak and Klein Forest (and with Klein Cain not yet competing at the varsity level), the Bearkats are in a unique position to take a step forward this year.

Eight starters, including linebackers Devin Richardson and Matthew Jester, return to a defense that allowed just 212 points all year, and Northland Christian defensive end Harrison White is a move-in who projects to start and make a difference right away.

Klein is also returning several key pieces of the offense: starting quarterback Malcolm Deary and wide receiver Austin Trammel are back, as well as Newcomer of the Year, running back D'Anthony Simms.

Klein Oak is a bit of a question mark under Jason Glenn, so this could be the year that Klein takes advantage of the turnover and is able to finish first or second in 15-6A.